McGair: Friars look to max every ounce out of Desrosiers' 7-foot frame

May 1, 2012

By BRENDAN McGAIR
Sports writer
On Nov. 11, 2011, Carson Desrosiers blocked eight Loyola (MD) shots, a high sum that undoubtedly warmed the heart of Wake Forest head coach Jeff Bzdelik. It was unrealistic to expect that Desrosiers would be able to swat away that many shots on a nightly basis, yet it wasnâ€™t out of bounds to expect that the seven-footer would emerge as some sort of bruising force for the Demon Deacons down on the blocks.
Alas, Desrosiersâ€™ sophomore season at Wake Forest was one that saw the New Hampshire product struggle heavily with consistency. He grabbed 10 or more rebounds on just four occasions, all coming in games prior to the calendar turning the page to 2012. He did, however, manage to block four shots in a game on two occasions against ACC foes (Jan. 7 vs. Virginia Tech, March 3 against Georgia Tech).
If you stack up the numbers Desrosiers compiled during his sophomore season as opposed to his freshman year, his key stats â€“ points, rebounds, blocked shots â€“ went up ever so slightly. In 21.6 minutes per game in 2012, Desrosiers contributed 4.8 ppg, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. Compare that to 2011, which saw him post four points, 1.7 blocks and 3.2 rebounds in 19 minutes.
As the newest Providence College player at Ed Cooleyâ€™s disposal, Desrosiers automatically adds credibility to a Friar frontline that is crying out for size. In compliance with NCAA transfer rules, Desrosiers will sit out the 2012-13 season, which should hopefully allow him ample time to study and comprehend Cooleyâ€™s defensive philosophy.
As ESPN.com senior basketball recruiting analyst Dave Telep noted in an email, â€śDesrosiers has two things that work: size and skill. I think if he comes in and gives (the Friars) good effort on the glass he should be a starter in the frontcourt. This next opportunity will be successful if he commits to getting on the glass.â€ť